Patents by Inventor Gaylon M. Decious

Gaylon M. Decious has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 6477439
    Abstract: A method is disclosed for programming and executing a state machine control program represented as a diagram in an HVAC controller. The diagram is converted to tabular data which is entered into one or more spreadsheet pages. The tabular data includes the defined output states, the defined input states and defined transition states, whereby a given output state and a given set of inputs will cause transition to a next output state. The tabular data is translated, through execution of a routine in a macro-instruction language, into a plurality of data structures for downloading into a finite state machine object data structure in the controller, where it will be acted upon by an object-oriented execution module, referred to as a class execute method, which is also present in the controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 1998
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2002
    Assignee: Johnson Controls Technology Corporation
    Inventors: Alex Bernaden, III, Gaylon M. Decious, John E. Seem, Kirk H. Drees, Jonathan D. West, William R. Kuckuk
  • Patent number: 6408228
    Abstract: The present invention provides a sequencing control strategy for environmental system controllers that takes better advantage of the capabilities of the system elements to enhance performance and reduce operating costs. Digital controller technology is included and operates in accordance with a state transition diagram clarifying conditions that must exist for the environmental controller to switch from one mode of operation to another (e.g., from a cooling mode with dampers set at the minimum position to a cooling mode with the dampers modulating to reduce the energy used for mechanical cooling). Several a controllers, or a single controller operating on several sets of control parameters, sequentially operate in accordance with transition data and system performance characteristics for controlling system operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 1999
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2002
    Assignee: Johnson Controls Technology Company
    Inventors: John E. Seem, Gaylon M. Decious, Carol Lomonaco, Alex Bernaden
  • Patent number: 6219590
    Abstract: The present invention provides a sequencing control strategy for environmental system controllers that takes better advantage of the capabilities of the system elements to enhance performance and reduce operating costs. A state machine controller is implemented by employing digital technology which enables greater accuracy in monitoring system performance and performing diagnostics. This control modality also provides greater tolerance of faults by permitting automatic reconfiguration of the control strategy so as to be independent of malfunctioning components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 1998
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2001
    Assignee: Johnson Controls Technology Co.
    Inventors: Alex Bernaden, III, Gaylon M. Decious, John E. Seem, Kirk H. Drees, Jonathan D. West, William R. Kuckuk
  • Patent number: 6115713
    Abstract: A networked system having a wide variety of applications and particularly applicable to facilities management systems has multiple levels of software in processing nodes. The levels include a "features" processing level which communicates requests for data to a software object level containing databases of processes and attributes and database managers. The database managers in the software object level operate to provide data to the high level features in the same format. The software object level communicates with a hardware object level which also contains databases and database managers to mask differences between operational hardware units. By categorizing operational units by type, additional units of a known type can be added with only low level hardware object database changes. Adding units of a new type is facilitated by software changes confined to the lower level hardware and software objects, avoiding software changes at high level features.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 1996
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2000
    Assignee: Johnson Controls Technology Company
    Inventors: Gregory A. Pascucci, David E. Rasmussen, Gaylon M. Decious, James R. Garbe, Susan M. Hyzer, Karen L. Woest, Vairavan Vairavan, David L. Koch, Donald A. Gottschalk, Jr., Dennis E. Burkhardt, Darrell E. Standish, Paul W. Madaus, Dan J. Spacek, Clay G. Nesler, James K. Stark, Otto M. Mageland, Robert R. Singers, Michael E. Wagner
  • Patent number: 6006142
    Abstract: The present invention provides a sequencing control strategy for environmental system controllers that takes better advantage of the capabilities of the system elements to enhance performance and reduce operating costs. Digital controller technology is included and operates in accordance with a state transition diagram clarifying conditions that must exist for the environmental controller to switch from one mode of operation to another (e.g., from a cooling mode with dampers set at the minimum position to a cooling mode with the dampers modulating to reduce the energy used for mechanical cooling). Several controllers, or a single controller operating on several sets of control parameters, sequentially operate in accordance with transition data and system performance characteristics for controlling system operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 1997
    Date of Patent: December 21, 1999
    Inventors: John E. Seem, Gaylon M. Decious, Carol Lomonaco, Alex Bernaden, III
  • Patent number: 5598566
    Abstract: A networked system having a wide variety of applications and particularly applicable to facilities management systems has multiple levels of software in processing nodes. The levels include a "features" processing level which communicates requests for data to a software object level containing databases of processes and attributes and database managers. The database managers in the software object level operate to provide data to the high level features in the same format. The software object level communicates with a hardware object level which also contains databases and database managers to mask differences between operational hardware units. By categorizing operational units by type, additional units of a known type can be added with only low level hardware object database changes. Adding units of a new type is facilitated by software changes confined to the lower level hardware and software objects, avoiding software changes at high level features.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 1994
    Date of Patent: January 28, 1997
    Assignee: Johnson Service Company
    Inventors: Gregory A. Pascucci, David E. Rasmussen, Gaylon M. Decious, James R. Garbe, Susan M. Hyzer, Karen L. Woest, Vairavan Vairavan, David L. Koch, Donald A. Gottschalk, Jr., Dennis E. Burkhardt, Darrell E. Standish, Paul W. Madaus, Dan J. Spacek, Clay G. Nesler, James K. Stark, Otto M. Mageland, Robert R. Singers, Michael E. Wagner
  • Patent number: 5568377
    Abstract: A feedback controller configured to automatically tune a control system by determining proportional gain, integral time and/or derivative time control parameters based on estimates of process time delay, process time constant and process gain values which are monitored by the feedback controller. The feedback controller further determines control limits for estimating the process time delay based on the resolution of the sampled values of the process output and the standard deviation of the process output during the initial steady-state condition. The feedback controller also estimates characteristic areas for a first-order response based on a first-order plus time-delay model to determine process time constant and process gain values. These process time constant, process gain and process delay estimates are translated into proportional gain, integral time and/or derivative time control parameters based on design relations of the particular feedback controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 1994
    Date of Patent: October 22, 1996
    Assignee: Johnson Service Company
    Inventors: John E. Seem, Gaylon M. Decious
  • Patent number: 5550980
    Abstract: A networked system having a wide variety of applications and particularly applicable to facilities management systems has multiple levels of software in processing nodes. The levels include a "features" processing level which communicates requests for data to a software object level containing databases of processes and attributes and database managers. The database managers in the software object level operate to provide data to the high level features in the same format. The software object level communicates with a hardware object level which also contains databases and database managers to mask differences between operational hardware units. By categorizing operational units by type, additional units of a known type can be added with only low level hardware object database changes. Adding units of a new type is facilitated by software changes confined to the lower level hardware and software objects, avoiding software changes at high level features.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 1994
    Date of Patent: August 27, 1996
    Assignee: Johnson Service Company
    Inventors: Gregory A. Pascucci, David E. Rasmussen, Gaylon M. Decious, James R. Garbe, Susan M. Hyzer, Karen L. Woest, Vairavan Vairavan, David L. Koch, Donald A. Gottschalk, Jr., Dennis E. Burkhardt, Darrell E. Standish, Paul W. Madaus, Dan J. Spacek, Clay G. Nesler, James K. Stark, Otto M. Mageland, Robert R. Singers, Michael E. Wagner
  • Patent number: 5522044
    Abstract: A networked system having a wide variety of applications and particularly applicable to facilities management systems has multiple levels of software in processing nodes. The levels include a "features" processing level which communicates requests for data to a software object level containing databases of processes and attributes and database managers. The database managers in the software object level operate to provide data to the high level features in the same format. The software object level communicates with a hardware object level which also contains databases and database managers to mask differences between operational hardware units. By categorizing operational units by type, additional units of a known type can be added with only low level hardware object database changes. Adding units of a new type is facilitated by software changes confined to the lower level hardware and software objects, avoiding software changes at high level features.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 1994
    Date of Patent: May 28, 1996
    Assignee: Johnson Service Company
    Inventors: Gregory A. Pascucci, David E. Rasmussen, Gaylon M. Decious, James R. Garbe, Susan M. Hyzer, Karen L. Woest, Vairavan Vairavan, David L. Koch, Donald A. Gottschalk, Jr., Dennis E. Burkhardt, Darrell E. Standish, Paul W. Madaus, Dan J. Spacek, Clay G. Nesler, James K. Stark, Otto M. Mageland, Robert R. Singers, Michael E. Wagner
  • Patent number: 5511188
    Abstract: A networked system having a wide variety of applications and particularly applicable to facilities management systems has multiple levels of software in processing nodes. The levels include a "features" processing level which communicates requests for data to a software object level containing databases of processes and attributes and database managers. The database managers in the software object level operate to provide data to the high level features in the same format. The software object level communicates with a hardware object level which also contains databases and database managers to mask differences between operational hardware units. By categorizing operational units by type, additional units of a known type can be added with only low level hardware object database changes. Adding units of a new type is facilitated by software changes confined to the lower level hardware and software objects, avoiding software changes at high level features.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 1993
    Date of Patent: April 23, 1996
    Assignee: Johnson Service Company
    Inventors: Gregory A. Pascucci, David E. Rasmussen, Gaylon M. Decious, James R. Garbe, Susan M. Hyzer, Karen L. Woest, Vairavan Vairavan, David L. Koch, Donald A. Gottschalk, Jr., Dennis E. Burkhardt, Darrell E. Standish, Paul W. Madaus, Dan J. Spacek, Clay G. Nesler, James K. Stark, Otto M. Mageland, Robert R. Singers, Michael E. Wagner
  • Patent number: 5463735
    Abstract: A network system having a wide variety of applications and particularly applicable to facilities management systems includes network controllers which continuously process data related to building and industrial, environmental, security and other automated system controls. Each network controller has a network address indicative of a communication link to which the network controller is connected, a local address and a node drop ID to determine whether the network controller is a configured or non-configured device. Data stored in an archive device is downloaded to a destination network controller in the absence of a routing table in the destination network controller by transmitting a download request message from the archive device to an intermediate network controller with a routing table. The intermediate network controller assumes control of the download request by transmitting the message to the destination controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 1994
    Date of Patent: October 31, 1995
    Assignee: Johnson Service Company
    Inventors: Gregory A. Pascucci, David E. Rasmussen, Gaylon M. Decious, James R. Garbe, Susan M. Hyzer, Karen L. Woest, Vairavan Vairavan, David L. Koch, Donald A. Gottschalk, Jr., Dennis E. Burkhardt, Darrell E. Standish, Paul W. Madaus, Dan J. Spacek, Clay G. Nesler, James K. Stark, Otto M. Mageland, Robert R. Singers, Michael E. Wagner